Report says private care a threat
Published Tuesday October 7th, 2008
Health For-profit clinics said eroding public medical system
FREDERICTON - The emergence of private clinics in Canada is undercutting the public medical system and leading to two-tier health care, contend the co-chairs of the New Brunswick Health Coalition.
The coalition joined its counterparts from other provinces Monday in trumpeting a new study, called "Eroding Public Medicare: Lessons and Consequences of For-Profit Health Care Across Canada."
It says there are 130 for-profit clinics in Canada, providing everything from MRI scans to surgeries.
The report, penned by the Ontario Health Coalition, says those clinics appear to be selling two-tier health services and are billing patients extra money for medically necessary procedures.
It notes some patients are paying up to $20,000 for knee surgeries and up to $1,200 for MRI scans, all while avoiding the public wait list.
The report notes 89 possible violations of the Canada Health Act in five provinces.
"This report should serve as a warning. For-profit clinics are jeopardizing the equality and fairness of our health care system," said Debbie Lacelle, co-chair of the New Brunswick coalition, at a press conference.
"The report found that the profit-seeking approach to selling health care is threatening the public system in Canada.
"The evidence leaves little question that many for-profit clinics are simply selling fast access to the very wealthy."
According to Lacelle, who also serves as president of the New Brunswick Union, private clinics have done nothing to cut public costs and wait times.
However, other than calling for a complete ban on privatized care, Lacelle was short on suggestions to actually improve the current system - one she admits is suffering from rising costs.
Her lone suggestion involved extending the hours that local MRI facilities operate, so that waiting patients could have scans done at night.
Generally, she said, government must expand the public system, instead of allowing private interests to enter it.
She said the study reveals an aggressive group of private companies are lobbying provinces for publicly-funded contracts.
In fact, the province is now mulling how it will deal with a growing list of private health-care options.
Back in May, Health Minister Mike Murphy said his department is formulating its stance on private health care, because the government has been approached with private health proposals.
At that time, Murphy said his department was studying pitches for private diagnostic centres, which would offer services such as MRI and CT scans.
He also said there was talk of a small surgical centre for Moncton.
It is still unclear whether such services would be offered on a pay-as-you-go basis, or paid for with public funds through medicare.
Regardless, Murphy said the department wants to determine how those projects would benefit or impede the public system. For example, how to ensure private outfits don't drain doctors away to the private sector.
The Conservative Opposition, however, has been quick to criticize Murphy, who has floated a variety of private health care ideas since he took over the health portfolio in 2006.
Murphy was not made available for comment on Monday.
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Patient B didn't have to spend any money but benefits by Patient A going to Private Clinic X. Hospital X isn't as burdened.
It is two tiers but they're side by side.